Susan Arthure | Flinders University of South Australia (original) (raw)

Peer-reviewed papers by Susan Arthure

Research paper thumbnail of Geophysical and archaeological investigations of Baker's Flat, a nineteenth century historic Irish site in South Australia

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2020

The Irish settlement of Baker's Flat, located in the rural heart of South Australia near the town... more The Irish settlement of Baker's Flat, located in the rural heart of South Australia near the town of Kapunda, was occupied from the mid-nineteenth century for about 90 years. Although little archaeological work has been carried out in Australia specifically on Irish communities, Baker's Flat is of particular interest because it potentially operated as a traditional Irish clachan, an informal clustering of farm dwellings and outbuildings, and home in this instance to the Irish immigrants who worked in the nearby copper mine. The site was cleared for farming purposes in the 1950s, and little recordation of the dwellings and settlement exist today, aside from a single 1890s map. Owing to the demolition and landscape modification, it was unclear whether any intact subsurface deposits still existed. Therefore, this site was ideal for deploying two geophysical methods, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetic gradiometry, to assess the presence of subsurface remains and explore the spatial layout of the site. Our results, when compared with those obtained from surface surveys and targeted archaeological excavation, revealed numerous subsurface features and helped to confirm that Baker's Flat was built in the style of a traditional Irish clachan. This study also demonstrated that magnetic gradiometer was the better geophysical method for mapping this settlement as the nature of the geology (shallow bedrock) and construction of the houses (built within the bedrock) limited the utility of GPR.

Research paper thumbnail of Collaboration on Whose Terms? Using the IAP2 Community Engagement Model for Archaeology in Kapunda, South Australia

In this paper we adapted the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) community e... more In this paper we adapted the International Association of Public Participation
(IAP2) community engagement model and applied it to archaeological practice.
The case studies are parallel historical archaeological projects undertaken
near the town of Kapunda, 75 km north of Adelaide, South Australia. Whilst
each project had distinctive separate aims and outcomes, they were both
underpinned by a commitment to collaborative practice. The IAP2 model provided
clear steps for engagement and helped mitigate problems from the
outset. This opportunity to put collaborative theories into practice has resulted
in genuine relationships being established between ourselves and community
members, the reconnection of descendant families with their shared stories,
and the revealing of other versions of the past that had been erased, consciously
or unconsciously, over time. It has proved to us that academic
research projects can be integrated with real collaborative practice.

Research paper thumbnail of A Context for Concealment: The Historical Archaeology of Folk Ritual and Superstition in Australia

Are there traditions of folk ritual practice in Australian historical contexts, and are they obse... more Are there traditions of folk ritual practice in Australian historical contexts, and are they observable in the archaeological record? Studies from the US and UK have documented a range of practices suggesting the persistence of British and European traditions of folk magic well into the twentieth century and previous historical work has identified numerous examples of ritual concealments in Australian buildings. In examining over 4,500 Australian historical archaeological sources, however, we found very few examples of possible folk ritual practices. This raises the question of why such practices are not being captured by current archaeological recording methods. As counterpoint, a general model is constructed from US, UK and Australian work that raises intriguing possibilities for the situating of superstitious behavior in Australian historical archaeology, including the contexts in which people might be more prone to practise such behaviors and how they might be materially identifiable.

Research paper thumbnail of Being Irish: The Nineteenth Century South Australian Community of Baker's Flat

This paper examines Irish social identity (‘Irishness’) in a nineteenth century, working class Ir... more This paper examines Irish social identity (‘Irishness’) in a nineteenth century, working class Irish community based at Baker’s Flat, Kapunda, in the mid-north of South Australia. The research centers on the concepts of identity and power, specifically, how the Baker’s Flat community expressed identity through material culture, and what this tells us about the community and its power relations. An existing collection of metal artifacts, as well as archaeological data resulting from a site survey, are analyzed to determine the relationships of power and Irishness.

Research paper thumbnail of The Occupation of Baker's Flat: A Study of Irishness and Power in Nineteenth Century South Australia (Masters Thesis Abstract)

Australian Archaeology, Dec 2014

Thesis abstract

Research paper thumbnail of Jane Balme (EGA entry)

Encyclopaedia of Global Archaeology, 2014

Biographical entry in C Smith (ed.) 2014 Encyclopaedia of Global Archaeology, B section.

My blog by Susan Arthure

Research paper thumbnail of My Blog - Don't Forget Your Shovel

Since 2013, I've been writing a blog at www.dontforgetyourshovel.com about my archaeological rese... more Since 2013, I've been writing a blog at www.dontforgetyourshovel.com about my archaeological research, thoughts and general happenstance.

Masters thesis by Susan Arthure

Research paper thumbnail of The Occupation of Baker's Flat: A Study of Irishness and Power in Nineteenth Century South Australia

This thesis was submitted in partial requirements for the degree of Master of Archaeology, Depart... more This thesis was submitted in partial requirements for the degree of Master of Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, Flinders University, October 2014.
This research investigates Irish social identity (‘Irishness’) in the nineteenth century, centring on a substantial and long-lived Irish settlement known as Baker’s Flat, in the mid-north of South Australia. The research questions focus on the concepts of identity and power, specifically, how these Irish expressed their identity through material culture, and what this tells us about the community and its power relations.
The occupation of Baker’s Flat began in 1854, when many Irish families came to labour at the nearby Kapunda copper mine, and squatted rent-free on the Baker’s Flat land. The settlement persisted until at least the 1920s, set apart from the broader community. Although hundreds of Irish people lived there, the written histories document little about the community, and if mentioned at all, the narrative tends to be a stereotypical one based on the widespread perception of the Irish as dirty, wild, drunken and lawless. In large part this negative narrative was probably stimulated by the refusal of the residents to pay rent or allow outsiders into the community, and their resistance to the landowners’ attempts to remove them.
Analysis of a metal artefact collection and site survey have enabled a more complex interpretation of Baker’s Flat, with Irishness evident through several material realms. Many of the artefacts conform to general Victorian trends, and align with a people endeavouring to conform to the ideal of respectability. Catholicism, a key marker of Irishness, is evident through artefactual and historical evidence, and appears as both a cultural way of life and a spiritual belief system. The Catholic Church’s tolerance for folk practices may have allowed a folk tradition practice to continue here alongside traditional religious practice, as it did elsewhere. At a site-wide scale, the Irishness of this community is expressed through the spatial layout of the settlement, and historical evidence of the lack of fencing and unrestrained stock, all of which indicate the continuation of a traditional Irish ‘clachan’ and ‘rundale’ settlement pattern constructed around clustered kin-linked housing and communal farming methods. This resulted in a close-knit community based around mutual obligation which enabled this group to stand united against the dominant power of the landowners through an extended court case.

Other papers by Susan Arthure

Research paper thumbnail of A Context for Concealment: The Historical Archaeology of Folk Ritual and Superstition in Australia

Are there traditions of folk ritual practice in Australian historical contexts, and are they obse... more Are there traditions of folk ritual practice in Australian historical contexts, and are they observable in the archaeological record? Studies from the US and UK have documented a range of practices suggesting the persistence of British and European traditions of folk magic well into the twentieth century and previous historical work has identified numerous examples of ritual concealments in Australian buildings. In examining over 4,500 Australian historical archaeological sources, however, we found very few examples of possible folk ritual practices. This raises the question of why such practices are not being captured by current archaeological recording methods. As counterpoint, a general model is constructed from US, UK and Australian work that raises intriguing possibilities for the situating of superstitious behavior in Australian historical archaeology, including the contexts in which people might be more prone to practise such behaviors and how they might be materially identifiable.

Research paper thumbnail of Baker's Flat - a nineteenth century Irish settlement in South Australia

Newsletter of the Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology, 2013

Summary of the early stages of the Baker's Flat research.

Research paper thumbnail of 'Not Just a Small Place': Marion Cultural Heritage Survey Final Report, June 2012

This report analyses the results of a Cultural Heritage Survey undertaken jointly by Flinders Uni... more This report analyses the results of a Cultural Heritage Survey undertaken jointly by Flinders University and the City of Marion between March and May 2012.

Book reviews by Susan Arthure

Research paper thumbnail of Munday, Bruce 2012 Those Dry-Stone Walls: Stories from South Australia's Stone Age

Journal of the Historical Society of South Australia, 2013

Book review.

Conference posters by Susan Arthure

Research paper thumbnail of The Occupation of Baker's Flat: Irishness and Power in a South Australian Community

AAA/ASHA Conference 2014, 2014

This poster focuses on ‘Irishness’ and how it may be marked in the material evidence of a forgott... more This poster focuses on ‘Irishness’ and how it may be marked in the material evidence of a forgotten community. The study area is a nineteenth century emigrant Irish community based at Baker’s Flat, Kapunda, in the mid-north of South Australia. It won the Best Poster Award at the AAA/ASHA Conference 2014.

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural Heritage Significance in a Local Community

WAC7, Seventh World Archaeological Congress, Jordan, 2013

During 2011 and 2012, the City of Marion, one of South Australia’s larger metropolitan councils, ... more During 2011 and 2012, the City of Marion, one of South Australia’s larger metropolitan councils, in conjunction with the Flinders University Archaeology Department, undertook a Cultural Heritage Baseline Data Project. The first task investigated migration trends throughout the City’s history and its subsequent cultural diversity, with an emphasis on discovering more about the most recent arrivals. The next element involved a cultural heritage survey, focussing on capturing the community’s living heritage. Responses indicated an overlap of official and unofficial heritage, as well as the importance of recording people’s everyday domestic lives.

Research paper thumbnail of Saint Mary MacKillop: Digging into the Past of Australia's First Saint

WAC7, Seventh World Archaeological Congress, Jordan, 2013

In 2011, Flinders University Archaeology Department was asked to investigate the site where Mary ... more In 2011, Flinders University Archaeology Department was asked to investigate the site where Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first saint, established her first school and founded her religious order. Staff and students undertook two excavations at the site uncovering hundreds of artefacts, associated with both domestic and childhood activities. The excavations triggered an enormous level of community interest. This poster presents the excavation and its finds, and, most importantly, how the community engaged with this process.

Conference presentations by Susan Arthure

Research paper thumbnail of The Irish of Baker's Flat, South Australia: Forgotten and Misremembered

In 1854 many Irish families came to labour at the Kapunda copper mine, about 75kms north of Adela... more In 1854 many Irish families came to labour at the Kapunda copper mine, about 75kms north of Adelaide in the mid-north of South Australia. They squatted rent-free on land known as Baker’s Flat, and remained there for at least 70 years, set apart from the broader community, and resisting all attempts to remove them. Although hundreds of Irish lived there, the written histories document little about Baker’s Flat, and if mentioned at all, the narrative tends to be a stereotypical one based on the widespread perception of the Irish as dirty, drunken and violent. An historical archaeology project has enabled a more complex interpretation of the settlement, including material evidence of Catholicism and a community trying to live respectable lives. The spatial layout, and historical evidence of the lack of fencing and unrestrained stock, indicates the continuation of a traditional Irish clachan and rundale settlement pattern.

Research paper thumbnail of An Archaeological Study of Irish Social Identity in Nineteenth Century South Australia

A five minute presentation to Flinders University postgraduate students.

Research paper thumbnail of Historical Archaeology in Kapunda: Giving Voices to Past and Present Communities

Kapunda has the distinction of being Australia’s oldest mining town. Located 75km north of Adelai... more Kapunda has the distinction of being Australia’s oldest mining town. Located 75km north of Adelaide, its heritage places and stories are entrenched with narratives of Cornish miners and wealthy landowners. Kapunda’s local historians are the accepted ‘guardians’ of knowledge within the community, but two archaeological research projects by outsiders have revealed other versions of the past that had been erased, unconsciously or intentionally, over time. This presentation explores the notion of contested grounds of theory, power and voice in community archaeology. Here, the communities are not a passive ‘general public’ or audience to the archaeology, but actively engage in the process of investigation. Results have included returning and legitimising a forgotten history to people, reconnecting people to their shared stories with tangible archaeological evidence. Whilst our research projects each have distinctive, separate aims and outcomes, they are underpinned by our conviction that collaborative practice is critical in our professional work and community engagement. These research projects deliberately move beyond the scope of archaeologist as contributor of specialised information about “the community’s past”, and instead to maintaining community relationships that are mutually beneficial and meaningful.

Research paper thumbnail of Being Irish: The Nineteenth Century Community of Baker's Flat

A mid-Masters update on the Baker's Flat research, focusing on how traditional Irish folk charms ... more A mid-Masters update on the Baker's Flat research, focusing on how traditional Irish folk charms and practices might be seen in the archaeological evidence. This presentation won the Award for Best Masters Presentation.

Publications by Susan Arthure

Research paper thumbnail of Geophysical and archaeological investigations of Baker’s Flat, a nineteenth century historic Irish site in South Australia

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences , 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Geophysical and archaeological investigations of Baker's Flat, a nineteenth century historic Irish site in South Australia

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2020

The Irish settlement of Baker's Flat, located in the rural heart of South Australia near the town... more The Irish settlement of Baker's Flat, located in the rural heart of South Australia near the town of Kapunda, was occupied from the mid-nineteenth century for about 90 years. Although little archaeological work has been carried out in Australia specifically on Irish communities, Baker's Flat is of particular interest because it potentially operated as a traditional Irish clachan, an informal clustering of farm dwellings and outbuildings, and home in this instance to the Irish immigrants who worked in the nearby copper mine. The site was cleared for farming purposes in the 1950s, and little recordation of the dwellings and settlement exist today, aside from a single 1890s map. Owing to the demolition and landscape modification, it was unclear whether any intact subsurface deposits still existed. Therefore, this site was ideal for deploying two geophysical methods, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and magnetic gradiometry, to assess the presence of subsurface remains and explore the spatial layout of the site. Our results, when compared with those obtained from surface surveys and targeted archaeological excavation, revealed numerous subsurface features and helped to confirm that Baker's Flat was built in the style of a traditional Irish clachan. This study also demonstrated that magnetic gradiometer was the better geophysical method for mapping this settlement as the nature of the geology (shallow bedrock) and construction of the houses (built within the bedrock) limited the utility of GPR.

Research paper thumbnail of Collaboration on Whose Terms? Using the IAP2 Community Engagement Model for Archaeology in Kapunda, South Australia

In this paper we adapted the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) community e... more In this paper we adapted the International Association of Public Participation
(IAP2) community engagement model and applied it to archaeological practice.
The case studies are parallel historical archaeological projects undertaken
near the town of Kapunda, 75 km north of Adelaide, South Australia. Whilst
each project had distinctive separate aims and outcomes, they were both
underpinned by a commitment to collaborative practice. The IAP2 model provided
clear steps for engagement and helped mitigate problems from the
outset. This opportunity to put collaborative theories into practice has resulted
in genuine relationships being established between ourselves and community
members, the reconnection of descendant families with their shared stories,
and the revealing of other versions of the past that had been erased, consciously
or unconsciously, over time. It has proved to us that academic
research projects can be integrated with real collaborative practice.

Research paper thumbnail of A Context for Concealment: The Historical Archaeology of Folk Ritual and Superstition in Australia

Are there traditions of folk ritual practice in Australian historical contexts, and are they obse... more Are there traditions of folk ritual practice in Australian historical contexts, and are they observable in the archaeological record? Studies from the US and UK have documented a range of practices suggesting the persistence of British and European traditions of folk magic well into the twentieth century and previous historical work has identified numerous examples of ritual concealments in Australian buildings. In examining over 4,500 Australian historical archaeological sources, however, we found very few examples of possible folk ritual practices. This raises the question of why such practices are not being captured by current archaeological recording methods. As counterpoint, a general model is constructed from US, UK and Australian work that raises intriguing possibilities for the situating of superstitious behavior in Australian historical archaeology, including the contexts in which people might be more prone to practise such behaviors and how they might be materially identifiable.

Research paper thumbnail of Being Irish: The Nineteenth Century South Australian Community of Baker's Flat

This paper examines Irish social identity (‘Irishness’) in a nineteenth century, working class Ir... more This paper examines Irish social identity (‘Irishness’) in a nineteenth century, working class Irish community based at Baker’s Flat, Kapunda, in the mid-north of South Australia. The research centers on the concepts of identity and power, specifically, how the Baker’s Flat community expressed identity through material culture, and what this tells us about the community and its power relations. An existing collection of metal artifacts, as well as archaeological data resulting from a site survey, are analyzed to determine the relationships of power and Irishness.

Research paper thumbnail of The Occupation of Baker's Flat: A Study of Irishness and Power in Nineteenth Century South Australia (Masters Thesis Abstract)

Australian Archaeology, Dec 2014

Thesis abstract

Research paper thumbnail of Jane Balme (EGA entry)

Encyclopaedia of Global Archaeology, 2014

Biographical entry in C Smith (ed.) 2014 Encyclopaedia of Global Archaeology, B section.

Research paper thumbnail of My Blog - Don't Forget Your Shovel

Since 2013, I've been writing a blog at www.dontforgetyourshovel.com about my archaeological rese... more Since 2013, I've been writing a blog at www.dontforgetyourshovel.com about my archaeological research, thoughts and general happenstance.

Research paper thumbnail of The Occupation of Baker's Flat: A Study of Irishness and Power in Nineteenth Century South Australia

This thesis was submitted in partial requirements for the degree of Master of Archaeology, Depart... more This thesis was submitted in partial requirements for the degree of Master of Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, Flinders University, October 2014.
This research investigates Irish social identity (‘Irishness’) in the nineteenth century, centring on a substantial and long-lived Irish settlement known as Baker’s Flat, in the mid-north of South Australia. The research questions focus on the concepts of identity and power, specifically, how these Irish expressed their identity through material culture, and what this tells us about the community and its power relations.
The occupation of Baker’s Flat began in 1854, when many Irish families came to labour at the nearby Kapunda copper mine, and squatted rent-free on the Baker’s Flat land. The settlement persisted until at least the 1920s, set apart from the broader community. Although hundreds of Irish people lived there, the written histories document little about the community, and if mentioned at all, the narrative tends to be a stereotypical one based on the widespread perception of the Irish as dirty, wild, drunken and lawless. In large part this negative narrative was probably stimulated by the refusal of the residents to pay rent or allow outsiders into the community, and their resistance to the landowners’ attempts to remove them.
Analysis of a metal artefact collection and site survey have enabled a more complex interpretation of Baker’s Flat, with Irishness evident through several material realms. Many of the artefacts conform to general Victorian trends, and align with a people endeavouring to conform to the ideal of respectability. Catholicism, a key marker of Irishness, is evident through artefactual and historical evidence, and appears as both a cultural way of life and a spiritual belief system. The Catholic Church’s tolerance for folk practices may have allowed a folk tradition practice to continue here alongside traditional religious practice, as it did elsewhere. At a site-wide scale, the Irishness of this community is expressed through the spatial layout of the settlement, and historical evidence of the lack of fencing and unrestrained stock, all of which indicate the continuation of a traditional Irish ‘clachan’ and ‘rundale’ settlement pattern constructed around clustered kin-linked housing and communal farming methods. This resulted in a close-knit community based around mutual obligation which enabled this group to stand united against the dominant power of the landowners through an extended court case.

Research paper thumbnail of A Context for Concealment: The Historical Archaeology of Folk Ritual and Superstition in Australia

Are there traditions of folk ritual practice in Australian historical contexts, and are they obse... more Are there traditions of folk ritual practice in Australian historical contexts, and are they observable in the archaeological record? Studies from the US and UK have documented a range of practices suggesting the persistence of British and European traditions of folk magic well into the twentieth century and previous historical work has identified numerous examples of ritual concealments in Australian buildings. In examining over 4,500 Australian historical archaeological sources, however, we found very few examples of possible folk ritual practices. This raises the question of why such practices are not being captured by current archaeological recording methods. As counterpoint, a general model is constructed from US, UK and Australian work that raises intriguing possibilities for the situating of superstitious behavior in Australian historical archaeology, including the contexts in which people might be more prone to practise such behaviors and how they might be materially identifiable.

Research paper thumbnail of Baker's Flat - a nineteenth century Irish settlement in South Australia

Newsletter of the Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology, 2013

Summary of the early stages of the Baker's Flat research.

Research paper thumbnail of 'Not Just a Small Place': Marion Cultural Heritage Survey Final Report, June 2012

This report analyses the results of a Cultural Heritage Survey undertaken jointly by Flinders Uni... more This report analyses the results of a Cultural Heritage Survey undertaken jointly by Flinders University and the City of Marion between March and May 2012.

Research paper thumbnail of The Occupation of Baker's Flat: Irishness and Power in a South Australian Community

AAA/ASHA Conference 2014, 2014

This poster focuses on ‘Irishness’ and how it may be marked in the material evidence of a forgott... more This poster focuses on ‘Irishness’ and how it may be marked in the material evidence of a forgotten community. The study area is a nineteenth century emigrant Irish community based at Baker’s Flat, Kapunda, in the mid-north of South Australia. It won the Best Poster Award at the AAA/ASHA Conference 2014.

Research paper thumbnail of Cultural Heritage Significance in a Local Community

WAC7, Seventh World Archaeological Congress, Jordan, 2013

During 2011 and 2012, the City of Marion, one of South Australia’s larger metropolitan councils, ... more During 2011 and 2012, the City of Marion, one of South Australia’s larger metropolitan councils, in conjunction with the Flinders University Archaeology Department, undertook a Cultural Heritage Baseline Data Project. The first task investigated migration trends throughout the City’s history and its subsequent cultural diversity, with an emphasis on discovering more about the most recent arrivals. The next element involved a cultural heritage survey, focussing on capturing the community’s living heritage. Responses indicated an overlap of official and unofficial heritage, as well as the importance of recording people’s everyday domestic lives.

Research paper thumbnail of Saint Mary MacKillop: Digging into the Past of Australia's First Saint

WAC7, Seventh World Archaeological Congress, Jordan, 2013

In 2011, Flinders University Archaeology Department was asked to investigate the site where Mary ... more In 2011, Flinders University Archaeology Department was asked to investigate the site where Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first saint, established her first school and founded her religious order. Staff and students undertook two excavations at the site uncovering hundreds of artefacts, associated with both domestic and childhood activities. The excavations triggered an enormous level of community interest. This poster presents the excavation and its finds, and, most importantly, how the community engaged with this process.

Research paper thumbnail of The Irish of Baker's Flat, South Australia: Forgotten and Misremembered

In 1854 many Irish families came to labour at the Kapunda copper mine, about 75kms north of Adela... more In 1854 many Irish families came to labour at the Kapunda copper mine, about 75kms north of Adelaide in the mid-north of South Australia. They squatted rent-free on land known as Baker’s Flat, and remained there for at least 70 years, set apart from the broader community, and resisting all attempts to remove them. Although hundreds of Irish lived there, the written histories document little about Baker’s Flat, and if mentioned at all, the narrative tends to be a stereotypical one based on the widespread perception of the Irish as dirty, drunken and violent. An historical archaeology project has enabled a more complex interpretation of the settlement, including material evidence of Catholicism and a community trying to live respectable lives. The spatial layout, and historical evidence of the lack of fencing and unrestrained stock, indicates the continuation of a traditional Irish clachan and rundale settlement pattern.

Research paper thumbnail of An Archaeological Study of Irish Social Identity in Nineteenth Century South Australia

A five minute presentation to Flinders University postgraduate students.

Research paper thumbnail of Historical Archaeology in Kapunda: Giving Voices to Past and Present Communities

Kapunda has the distinction of being Australia’s oldest mining town. Located 75km north of Adelai... more Kapunda has the distinction of being Australia’s oldest mining town. Located 75km north of Adelaide, its heritage places and stories are entrenched with narratives of Cornish miners and wealthy landowners. Kapunda’s local historians are the accepted ‘guardians’ of knowledge within the community, but two archaeological research projects by outsiders have revealed other versions of the past that had been erased, unconsciously or intentionally, over time. This presentation explores the notion of contested grounds of theory, power and voice in community archaeology. Here, the communities are not a passive ‘general public’ or audience to the archaeology, but actively engage in the process of investigation. Results have included returning and legitimising a forgotten history to people, reconnecting people to their shared stories with tangible archaeological evidence. Whilst our research projects each have distinctive, separate aims and outcomes, they are underpinned by our conviction that collaborative practice is critical in our professional work and community engagement. These research projects deliberately move beyond the scope of archaeologist as contributor of specialised information about “the community’s past”, and instead to maintaining community relationships that are mutually beneficial and meaningful.

Research paper thumbnail of Being Irish: The Nineteenth Century Community of Baker's Flat

A mid-Masters update on the Baker's Flat research, focusing on how traditional Irish folk charms ... more A mid-Masters update on the Baker's Flat research, focusing on how traditional Irish folk charms and practices might be seen in the archaeological evidence. This presentation won the Award for Best Masters Presentation.

Research paper thumbnail of Photographs of metal artefacts of Irish origin discovered in Baker's Flat, South Australia

This dataset contains 1 x cvs file (preservation copy), 1 x excel spreadsheet (BFK Metal Catalogu... more This dataset contains 1 x cvs file (preservation copy), 1 x excel spreadsheet (BFK Metal Catalogue 2014-08-04), 2,096 cropped photos (jpg format). It includes a catalogue of photographs of metal artefacts originating from the Irish settlement of Baker's Flat, South Australia (settled from 1854 to the 1920s).<br><br>Many of the artefacts conform to general Victorian trends, and align with a people endeavouring to conform to the ideal of respectability, evident particularly in the jewellery. Some reflect sporting activities and cultural conformity such as decorative cricket belt buckles and dog tags. Others indicate Irish Catholic origin including religious medals and rosaries. There are 548 buttons which range from functional trouser, uniform and military buttons to decorative Art Nouveau styles.<br><br>Date coverage: 1854 - 1929<br>Time period: Nineteenth Century<br>Location: Baker's Flat, South Australia

Research paper thumbnail of Book review of ‘Those Dry-Stone Walls: Stories From South Australia’s Stone Age’ by Bruce Munday

Journal of Historical Society of South Australia, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Who Came to Tea at the Old Kinchega Homestead? Tablewares, Teawares and Social Interaction at an Australian Outback Pastoral Homestead

Australian Archaeology, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Australia's first clachan: Identifying a traditional Irish settlement system in nineteenth century South Australia

19 In the mid-nineteenth century, the Great Famine altered the Irish landscape forever, triggerin... more 19 In the mid-nineteenth century, the Great Famine altered the Irish landscape forever, triggering mass migration and the creation of the Irish diaspora. Many Irish migrated to Australia, some to the new colony of South Australia. Here, historically, the Irish have tended to be invisible in the landscape, the predominant view being that, with the exception of religion, they were mainly indistinguishable from their British counterparts.1 Recent research, however, focusing on an Irish settlement near Kapunda known as Baker’s Flat, indicates that this particular community was distinctively Irish and operated as a clachan, a traditional Irish settlement system characterised by clusters of houses and co-operative farming methods. This article examines the history and archaeology of this Irish community, the first clachan settlement to be recognised so far in Australia.

Research paper thumbnail of Uma arqueologia do racismo cotidiano

Vestígios - Revista Latino-Americana de Arqueologia Histórica, 2021

This paper examines the role of material culture in replicating everyday racism in Katherine, Nor... more This paper examines the role of material culture in replicating everyday racism in Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia. We argue that inclusivity is determined by inclusive design supported by inclusive behaviours and that archaeologists can inform the creation of a more equitable world by identifying how material culture acts to exclude certain groups and replicate inequalities that might otherwise go unnoticed. This paper is part of the social justice movement in archaeology that analyses material remains in both the past and the present to reveal relationships between racism, racial discrimination, and racial inequality.

Research paper thumbnail of Collaboration on Whose Terms? Using the IAP2 Community Engagement Model for Archaeology in Kapunda, South Australia

Journal of Community Archaeology & Heritage, 2016

In this paper we adapted the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) community e... more In this paper we adapted the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) community engagement model and applied it to archaeological practice. The case studies are parallel historical archaeological projects undertaken near the town of Kapunda, 75 km north of Adelaide, South Australia. Whilst each project had distinctive separate aims and outcomes, they were both underpinned by a commitment to collaborative practice. The IAP2 model provided clear steps for engagement and helped mitigate problems from the outset. This opportunity to put collaborative theories into practice has resulted in genuine relationships being established between ourselves and community members, the reconnection of descendant families with their shared stories, and the revealing of other versions of the past that had been erased, consciously or unconsciously, over time. It has proved to us that academic research projects can be integrated with real collaborative practice.

Research paper thumbnail of Being Irish: The Nineteenth Century South Australian Community of Baker’s Flat

Archaeologies, 2015

Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by World Archaeologica... more Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by World Archaeological Congress. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be selfarchived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your article, please use the accepted manuscript version for posting on your own website. You may further deposit the accepted manuscript version in any repository, provided it is only made publicly available 12 months after official publication or later and provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication and a link is inserted to the published article on Springer's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: "The final publication is available at link.springer.com".

Research paper thumbnail of A Context for Concealment: The Historical Archaeology of Folk Ritual and Superstition in Australia

International Journal of Historical Archaeology, 2015

Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer Science +B... more Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer Science +Business Media New York. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be selfarchived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your article, please use the accepted manuscript version for posting on your own website. You may further deposit the accepted manuscript version in any repository, provided it is only made publicly available 12 months after official publication or later and provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication and a link is inserted to the published article on Springer's website. The link must be accompanied by the following text: "The final publication is available at link.springer.com".

Research paper thumbnail of Balme, Jane

Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of An Irish Dig Down Under: Identifying a nineteenth century clachan in the countryside at Baker's Flat

Archaeology Ireland, Sep 1, 2018

Research paper thumbnail of In Search of the Hidden Irish: Historical Archaeology, Identity and “Irishness” in Nineteenth-Century South Australia